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Loving the greeting he always received when they spent time apart, Max lifted his son into the air, realizing it wouldn’t be long until he was too heavy for such things.
Caden hugged him like he hadn’t seen Max in weeks. “We hadso much fun. Grandpa-Great let me stay up untiltenso we could finish watchingThe One and Only Ivan. It was so good!” He squiggled to get free the way he often did these days, so Max put him down, and he ran off, yelling for Grandma. “Daddy’s here!”
“Ten o’clock, huh?” Max asked his grandfather as he poured himself a cup of coffee.
“It was a good movie.”
“I see you’re still spoiling the grandkids, even the second generation of them.”
“When you’re good at something, it makes sense to stick with it.”
Max laughed. “You could teach the master class.”
“That’s a lovely compliment, my friend. He’s an absolute delight, but of course you know that.”
“Yes, I do. I missed him so much, and yes, I realize that sounds ridiculous.”
“Nah, I get it. How was the reunion?”
“Better than expected.”
“Your mother will gloat.”
“I come prepared for that.”
“Prepared for what?” Molly asked as Caden led her into the kitchen by tugging on her hand.
“To tell you the reunion was better than expected. And I left at nine, so I win the bet.”
“Oh damn,” Molly said. “I was hoping you danced the night away.”
“Not exactly. I left with Lexi, and we went back to my place to catch up.”
“Is that right?” Molly said, her eyes going wide.
“Now you’ve gone and done it,” Elmer said with a chuckle.
“How is she? Where’s she been?”
“She’s good, and she’s been in Houston.”
“What’s there?”
“The MD Anderson Cancer Center.”
“What?” Molly asked, her face going flat with shock.
“She’s been battling leukemia on and off since our freshman year of college. She had a stem cell transplant a year and a half ago and is now in remission and trying to figure out what’s next.”
“Dear Lord,” Molly said, sitting at the table.
Caden climbed into her lap, seeming concerned by her reaction. “What’s loo… Look…”
“Leukemia is a kind of cancer,” Max said. “My friend Lexi from high school had it, or I guess shehasit. She said she won’t be considered cured for four more years.”
“I can’t believe we never heard about this,” Elmer said.
“She wanted it kept private. She said she didn’t have the capacity to manage everyone knowing.”
